Friday, March 20, 2009

Coach K says he was only joking about Obama

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted President Barack Obama to know he was joking when he said Obama should focus on the economy rather than picking an NCAA Tournament bracket.

So Krzyzewski's wife, Mickie, sent a text message to former Duke basketball player Reggie Love, who is Obama's personal assistant.

“Reggie texted back and said (Obama) wasn't offended,“ Krzyzewski said Friday. “Though some of the staff was concerned, because they always have to be concerned.”

Krzyzewski said he was misrepresented Wednesday on what he called a “throwaway line,” which he intended to be funny, on Obama picking North Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament in an ESPN.com bracket.

Krzyzewski said his wife and daughters were more upset than he was.

But Krzyzewski still sounded frustrated.

“People want at some times to create news, they don't want to report news,” Krzyzewski said Friday during his news conference to preview Duke's second-round NCAA Tournament game with Texas. “And in their zest to create, they tell quarter stories or tenth stories or 25 percent instead of telling the whole thing.”

Krzyzewski is known as a conservative politically and held a fundraiser for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2002. Nonetheless, on Wednesday he was complimentary of the president.

“I love the guy, and I think he's going to be great,” he said.

Many media outlets didn't include that quote. Krzyzewski was disappointed with that and frustrated because his throwaway line was portrayed as serious by news outlets. He said Love texted Mickie Krzyzewski back to say Obama thinks Mike Krzyzewski is all right.

“Then she texted back and said, ‘Thanks,“' Krzyzewski said. --Ken Tysiac

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hate the Observer.

Anonymous said...

Two media seekers....Obama and K.

Anonymous said...

Actually the quote was:

"I hope he fails at his bracket - because his bracket represents policies I don't agree with - so I don't want the man to fail, i want his brackets to fail"

or something like that

MichaelProcton said...

I mean, he wasn't right? Strikes me the president of our nation DOES have better things to be doing than filling out a 65-game tournament bracket when we're in the midst of one of the worst economic crises we've ever seen. Does he even have a full cabinet yet?

Cliff said...

Michael, that's sad. So I guess the President isn't entitled to five minutes to fill out his bracket. And he had the honesty to pick the teams, knowing it might piss some people off. Think of all the damage Bush and Cheney could do with five minutes of free time. Too bad they didn't spend it picking brackets instead of dragging our country to it lowest point in recent memory.

Anonymous said...

we mustnt offend the messiah, or the sycophant robots who follow the dear leader.

Unknown said...

Cliff, you're absolutely right! Yeah the President has a tough job but, not take a few minutes for his bracket, that he's probably done for years. Even the leader of the free world should be able to be a fan. And this "Coach K" on the Blog, you're an idiot. If I had bracket for stupid comments on a blog you'd be the number one seed. And Michael, were you blogging when the previous administration got us in this mess? I think the former Vice President took the time for sport when he shot a friend in the face quail hunting. In the simplest of basketball terms for some of you "No harm, no foul". And who cares if you don't like the Observer, don't read it! As far as being Media seekers; Why did you post? Did you not THINK somebody would read it? Now who's seeking what. You cowards won't even leave your names. Politicians can have a interest in sports, but keep politics out of our sports!

Anonymous said...

kerry is the type of mind numbed robot idiots i was refering to. obama is the special olympics president. p.s. kerry boy is gat.

Anonymous said...

"keep politics out of sports"? the messiah is not following your advice kerry boy. did i mention kerry is gay?

Anonymous said...

Coach K is so full of himself and he said what he said when he said it. Too late to retract now coach ratface. When you insult a futre great president, you bring shame on Duke University. Truth is: The prez is crazy about the Heels and UNC!

Unknown said...

I find this as comical as can be. Bush went on more vacations his last two years than any President in teh history of the USA. He increased the deficit under his watch more than all of the other presidents COMBINED. Yes, that is a fact.

Coach K is a very strong supporter of the Republican party. His record in the playoffs is similar to the Republicans the past three years. Dook has not made the sweet 16 in three years!

Anonymous said...

roy my boy, you failed to mention bush couldnt have done it without the help of your communist democrat colleages who controlled congress. what do roy, kerry, and barney frank have in common? they all love bananas.

Unknown said...

It's great that Obama picked brackets and as coach of Duke I would have said the same thing Coach K said since he didn't pick Duke to win it all. Lighten up everybody. The election is over, we can all stop spouting the campaign rhetoric now. And calling someone gay, what are we eighth graders?

Anonymous said...

just having a little fun michael. i mean if dear leader can make fun of special olympians cant i make fun of kerry, roy, and barney franks gayness? maybe YOU need to lighten up mikey.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing to me that these sckools could hate each so much when they have so much in common.
In the 30's and 40's their faculities Carolina and Duke met at Communist Party meetings in bars and restaurants on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill and plotted the overthow of the US. Today they are probably 95% socialist including their Presidents. So why do we care who wins. If the media reported whole stories and not selectively to inflame their readers the hate would go away. It;s only a basketbal game. not life and death.

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely correct. They were alsdo there in the 50's, 60's and 70's.Don't know about beyond that. ROY AND COACH K are both
obviously wery good people and probably contribute more to their schools financially as a perfcentage of their income than anyone else. They also give a lot of their time to good causes helping people.They are probably the only capitalist in their respective Universities.

Anonymous said...

If Coach K needs something funny to laugh about, he should just take a look at those big snoz of his in the mirror. Seeing it always gives me a good chuckle. Or the lovely, petite Mrs. K is always funny watching her drop a few dozen F-Bombs every game. What a delicate flower she is.

MichaelProcton said...

Wow..."five minutes" to fill out his bracket? How many did he need to tape a sportscenter segment explaining every pick?

Anonymous said...

Ms. K knows that Coach must remain PC and will do what it takes to keep him there. What Coach said was correct, but PC rules!!

Anonymous said...

HATERS HATERS
DON'T YOU WISH YOU COULD DO AS MANY THINGS AS OUR PRESIDENT AND BE AS EFFECTIVE AND SMART? SOMEONE IS JEALOUS.

Anonymous said...

Everyone Dumbo Ears Obama makes two mistakes. He picks UNCrap and also thanks we have 57 states in America. That is probably because he actually wasn't born in USA.

Anonymous said...

If Bush went on ESPN and did a bracket you stupid democrats would want him to resign from office. That would be the worst thing he has ever done. Ears Obama makes a comment about Special Olympics and gets a free pass. This man is an empty suit and heading us all towards the days of Jimmy Carter. Worthless is what I consider Obama.